The Lagos State Government has received a donation of 80,000 bags of 10-kilogram rice bags to reinforce its efforts aimed at alleviating the hardships faced by vulnerable households in the state.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu personally oversaw the delivery of fully loaded trucks carrying the rice supplied by the Aliko Dangote Foundation for immediate distribution to various segments of the vulnerable population.
Accompanied by billionaire philanthropist Femi Otedola and his daughter Fatimah Dangote, Africa’s richest man and Chairman of the Aliko Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, fulfilled the corporate social responsibility to support the nutritional needs of residents during the fasting period and ease prevailing hardships.
This intervention is part of the Foundation’s ongoing rollout of one million bags of 10kg rice to vulnerable families across Nigeria, with Lagos receiving the second-largest share.
Governor Sanwo-Olu hailed the gesture as an “extraordinary act of kindness,” praising Dangote for his compassion towards the less privileged. He emphasized the importance of such interventions in these challenging times, highlighting the need for joint efforts between the government and the private sector to mitigate the effects of inflation.
Sanwo-Olu announced that the supplies would complement the state-led interventions, addressing food shortages caused by inflation. He also mentioned various multi-sectoral initiatives undertaken by his administration to assist Lagosians, including transportation fare reductions, health palliatives, and discounted food supplies.
The Governor disclosed plans to distribute 100,000 combo boxes of food items to thousands of households free of charge, urging private organizations to emulate the Foundation’s generosity.
Dangote reaffirmed the Group’s commitment to solidarity with the vulnerable, citing the annual mission of the Foundation over the past three decades to support Nigerians during fasting periods. He emphasized Lagos’ strategic importance for the success of the outreach, with distribution already underway in Kano.
The Foundation’s Managing Director, Ms. Zouera Youssoufou, highlighted the increased volume of food items distributed due to the coincidence of Ramadan and Lent, ensuring assistance to people of all faiths. She noted that while the Foundation would handle distribution, the Lagos Government would identify beneficiaries.
